1.Everyone shall possess the right to freely express and publicise his thoughts in words, images or by any other means, as well as the right to inform others, inform himself and be informed without hindrance or discrimination
2.Exercise of the said rights shall not be hindered or limited by any type or form of censorship
Constitution of the Portuguese Republic, Article 37.º

The investigation into the disappearance of Madeleine McCann, in Praia da Luz, in May 2007, started as if it was an abduction. But “Kate and Gerry McCann were made arguidos because the elements that were collected during the investigation pointed towards death, simulation of abduction and concealment of the child’s cadaver”, chief inspector Tavares de Almeida, one of the PJ investigators who held the case until he was removed from it – in early September 2007 – when he requested the change of the coercion measures into preventive custody “to prevent them from leaving Portugal”, said in court yesterday.

“We always spoke about an accidental death. Even prosecutor Magalhães Menezes [holder of the process] believed in Maddie’s death, just like Kate herself, at a given point in time. But the PJ does not have the power to accuse and the process was archived”, Tavares de Almeida explained – in front of the McCann couple – during the first session of the opposition to the injunction that prohibited the sale of former PJ inspector Gonçalo Amaral’s book ‘The Truth of the Lie’.

“The dogs detected blood and cadaver odour in the apartment and in the rented car. And all that was collected was [done] jointly with members of the Birmingham laboratory, in order to avoid any discrepancies. But, as incredible as this may sound, after the first result showed that 15 out of 19 alleles from the sample of Madeleine’s DNA coincided, they came and said that they had contaminated the samples”, Tavares de Almeida accused.

The thesis of death and cadaver concealment was also defended by inspector Ricardo Paiva, who served as the liaison officer between the PJ and the British family. “I share Gonçalo Amaral’s statement in the book. Maddie dies, probably in a tragic accident, and all indications point towards the parents concealing the cadaver”, he stated.

The thesis was defended by the director of the National Counter-Terrorism Unit, Luís Neves – ‘the simulation of abduction, concealment of cadaver and accidental death are possibilities’ – and by prosecutor Magalhães e Menezes – ‘it is more likely that the child is dead’.

English surveillance hampers investigation

“There were English elements here, incognito. We were targeted by surveillance and highly controlled by the English authorities”, Tavares de Almeida accused. “And official cooperation was done at the measure of the Anglo-Saxon authorities. For example, when we requested information from England, still during the investigation into the abduction thesis, it never arrived”, he stresses. Ricardo Paiva explained that three British agencies were involved – Leicester Police, NPIA and Scotland Yard – and that many of the diligences were suggested by them.

Answering a question before: the McCanns can be also asked by Amaral to be witnesses.I think the only person who can be free of statements as witness is a monarch, if he doesn't want to or it will depend on the issue.

So now we know that the samples were collected BOTH by the forensic experts from the PJ, and by experts from the FSS!!! I cannot remember this ever being stated by the media, from what I recall the story always went as "oh, those bungling sardine munchers, they contaminated the samples, they are incompetent, unprofessional, they collect samples while they smoke, don't wear gloves, etc., etc.!" IT WAS NOT THE CASE AT ALL, so it seems...Oh, my goodness, how I wish the portuguese had sent those samples to a third, impartial country, Belgium or the USA, but by the look of it they didn't have much of a choice, did they? ..." ...English elements...incognito...targeted by surveillance and highly controlled by the English authorities."The whole last paragraph says it all for me! There's no denying that there was strong political interference and controll by the English over the portuguese police and the investigation, and from the very beginning, it is no longer just Mr. Amaral saying so, in fact I've always thought that, regarding this matter Mr. Amaral has always been very cautious and subdued ( like in his book, for instance). Ricardo Paiva put it to the court clearly, black on white, no baeating 'round the bush, "sem papas na língua".Well done, Mr. Paiva!

I have to say it pisses me off seeing this couple doing all this acting. They deserve an award. Madeleine is dead, no question about that. It's disgusting to see the campaign they've done and the money they have earned. Even the pope they went to visit. They should be sent to death, no excuse for what they done/doing.

I would like to know that, if a Portuguese person had treated their children, in the way the McCanns did and one disappeared, would their word that their child had been abducted, be accepted? Even though there was no evidence of abduction, but evidence the child had been harmed in the Portuguese person or persons living accommodation.

I just noticed on the Sky news website on the mccann story people can now leave a comment there, which was banned for such a long time. It makes me wonder does Sky now sense the winds of change?Also Joana thank you for all your work. I love Portugal and the Portugese!Thank you !

Studio:What has set Gerry McCann off? It must have been a very difficult day in Court yesterday.

Martin:It was a very uncomfortable, eh 10 hours or so. The case went on and on and almost all the witnesses ex police officers, serving police officers went into detail about the investigation, and the very difficult part of it for the McCann’s was that they were suspected and faced at one point possible murder charges although they were of course absolved of all eh suspicion at the end of the investigation when it was shelved.It was a tough time, I mean I spoke to him last night, and he said – ‘look, you now we’re not going to give you a running commentary day to day.’ But clearly he was quite rattled by what had emerged yesterday, but you know he made the point, that it was nothing new. It was the first time we’d heard police officers talking about such details, so he did decide to say something when he came into Court. And then I think he was interrupted by the Portuguese media, who you know can be quite aggressive.I think that’s what rather made him feel a bit more heated and then it came into this question that you know, if you’ve got children you would be taking the same kind of action, but he did re-iterate there was nothing new, if they hadn’t heard it all before they’d certainly read it all before in the police files, but I think perhaps listening to it in live evidence it had become quite difficult for him and Kate McCann. I suppose you wonder whether, when they started this action to get this book banned, did they realise that it would involve having to sit through and having to listen to that kind of detail about the suspicions against them. There has been more about it this morning.

Studio:Well tell us more about that Martin, they’ll maybe be questioned themselves in Court as well?

Martin:We’re still not clear about this question whether they’ll give evidence.They did say yesterday they would be prepared to if they were asked , but I think it seems it is only the judge who possibly might ask them to answer questions.This morning , we’re hearing what we think is the last witness for the ex police chief, Mr. Amaral who is defending this action. It is a guy called Moite Flores, who himself was a police officer, quite a senior police officer, he’d already retired before the Madeleine investigation, but he has become a high profile figure a criminologist, and he’s been talking about how from Day 1, the McCann’s have been trying to convince the police, that the ONLY possible explanation for her disappearance was that she had been abducted, and part of their argument was that the window was open, and they believed that the abductor took Madeleine through the window.

Well Mr. Flores has said in his evidence in the last few minutes, that he had spoken to forensic experts all over, and nobody believed the possibility that a child could have been taken through the window of the apartment, and it was because of this broad opinion that it could NOT have happened that way, that the Portuguese Police decided to become suspicious about the McCann’s themselves and the possibility that Madeleine was dead.

:)] If the McCann's were behind the“disappearance” of their daughter, then it would have been in their interest to keep their alternative version of events going, right? Why? To protect the twins - and of course their backsides, their status, and the class and ideology they represent.

It does not surprise me in the least that the hegemons, be it the from of the Brit Police, their PM, their spin master Clarence, Freud… in a word: UK Corporation, have done their best to protect their elite members whereas Portugal naively played the lackey of Her Majesty.

Personally, I do not believe the mummy faced McCann’s premeditated it all. For all I know, there could have been a kidnap or an accident and a cover-up - facts and circumstances certainly suggest the latter. And just because Madeleine's surgeon father is, on a normal day, opening up bodies “before breakfast” it may not have a bearing on Madeleine’s disappearance. I would hate to think that.

The question is, since the McCann’s were given the benefit of a doubt and entitled to their own opinion, Dr. Amaral should, likewise, be entitled to his own expert opinion.

Now the McCann’s attempt to grab Dr. Amaral's assets was a shrewd move – and a psychological one at that but it would be a travesty of Justice if the Portuguese courts allowed the "Macs" to get away with the "heist".

I still believe Portugal’s subservient courts will give Dr. Amaral a win on penalties; otherwise I am left with no alternative but open a bottle of wine and sing the Fado…

PS I am donating some cash to Dr. Amaral fund right now! I understand the fund is beyond the reach of the McCann’s surreptitious hands, at least for the time being - "Aquila non capit muscas" ;)

The McCanns could not have had any idea that this would happen when they brought their case to have Gonçalo Amaral's book banned and tried to sue him for over a million euros. Surely nobody in their right minds would have gone ahead with it, knowing that all this information would be spelled out in public. I caught a glimpse of Sky News just now, saying that Gerry argued with journalists outside the court, so the McCanns are obviously stressed. I just can't believe this was part of their game plan. All they can do now is produce people to claim that the police were wrong, that the McCanns are being slandered, etc. etc. etc., but the damage is done. All this information is being soaked up by the public. Even if they win the case out of sympathy, this greedy attempt at getting money and shutting up anyone who doesn't believe them will have spectacularly backfired because of all the negative publicity!

Try as the British authorities may to hide the truth of what transpired following Madeleine's disappearance and the unprecedented level of support they gave the McCanns - at taxpayers' expense - this is not going to go away. Interference in a criminal investigation?? Gordon Brown owes the British populace an explanation.

Just watched sky news a very angry Gerry Maccann, saying its the conclusion that matters and that was no evidence against us or that Madelaine is dead. Looks like this is their defence no charges no matter what happened to Maddie. Mr Amaral may have a surpirse up his sleeve please God he has. This pair have no shame and are very cunning they will fight to the death.

The clearest indication to the public that gerald and his spouse are not 'on the level' is their insistance at one possibility and one possibility only - abduction and child still alive.

Whilst it is of course natural for a parent to hope this to be the case, it is not natural to refuse to seek or indeed to allow investigation into alternatives.

Also to claim that paedophiles have abducted her and still say thet they think she is being looked after like a little princess is, frankly, perverted...raising other questions about Kate and Gerald and their ethics.

clearly as 'health professionals' they know that it is vital to defend against neglect charges by removing the result from the causation equation. That they had a duty of care is undeniable, that they failed in that duty is equally undeniable (or Madeleine would be with them today) but the proven result is missing. If they admit she may have come to harm, the equation is complete - it is this they must avoid at all costs.

The biggest question is not why they claim abduction, it is why the UK establishment protects them, why the media and personalities and millionairres all support them - when their position is clearly at least questionable.

Obfuscation on a large scale has happened in this case. The question is WHY? Why have these child neglectors,namely the McCanns and their tapas pals been given such special treatment? In my opinion the only possible answer lies with the government of the day, and extends to the Leicester Police and Scotland Yard. We all remember Gerry McCann's standing ovation shortly after Madeleine went missing and their involvement invitation to speak at the cross border alarm system Conference. That would never have happened in a million years to a normal family!

While most of us are occupied with the trial in Lisbon, remember that Gerry still has the CEOP conference in London to look forward to.However this case progresses from this minute (Wednesday afternoon) he is holed beneath the waterline already.

Looks like Gerry doesn't want to take the witness standhe's obviously had word to get out of there NOW!Do you think that the Gaspars statements are going to be revieldperhaps Fiona Payne will take to the witness box in defence of her husband

Have a look at Gerry's on-camera reaction on the BBC News front page today: he's slipped back into riled super-defensive mode, last seen when he stormed out of interviews and spat out counter-productive rants. So we get another outing of the horribly suspect "there is no evidence to connect us to Madeleine's disappearance". And as for "We're not denying the existence of the dogs" - priceless.

The British press have been dutifully dismissing Amaral as an embittered lone nutter, but now they're obliged to report that his conclusion - that Madeleine died an accidental death in the apartment, and that her parents then concealed the body - was arrived at by every police detective who worked on the case. Even the British ones.

Now we have to hear the McCann drivel, its not that I cant state the guys whining, its not that I think he should be rotting in jail, though of course I admit to both these thins...its because I think he was cruel and neglectful to madeleine, a small child. The 'star' chart designed to be a reward for not bothering them in the night when she awaoke is an indication of this mans evil.

What an angry rattled manWho'll soon be called 'the Prisoner McCann'His greed has proved his final downfallNow forces of justice will come to callWe're sick of his lies,and KatesFor them a prison cell awaits

Sounded like Clarence in the background, trying to keep Gerry "on script" about going over old ground? Seems like Gerry is going off on one and more uncontrollable.Mitchell will be giving him a pep talk to tonight>

The McCann left the court unable to listen to the witness testimony this afternoon, just like he walked out of an interview with a German journalist who came too close to the truth in 2007. Work commitments indeed ha ha. Will he return? He was upbeat with journalists (narcissism)in denial. It is true the press continue to defame the PJ, the UK Daily Mail fell over itself today to distort the court testimony in favour of the Mcs, portraying the PJ as silly. Martin Brunt Sky News described Portugal as a "developing country" this morning. Since when are developing countries allowed into the EU? The lies carry on.

Tell everyone to read The Maddie Case Files here. Colleagues at work all believe there is something suspicious about the MCcanns, even those who haven't researched the case. I'm finding it quite suprising that many people I know are now expressing openly what they believed, but previously felt reluctant to articulate.

Several points: the British press has been pushed into a corner for some time now by Britain being the libel capital of the world, by firms like Carter Ruck. They may well have been as frustrated too by the fact that they could not publish what they knew about the story. They can now publish the other side as it is in a court of law...they are merely reporting on the case.Furthermore why is Gerry leaving Kate alone? Is it because this is a tactic to garner more sympathy? It's very very odd. Perhaps he thinks that the court is unlikely to judge a lone woman, a bereaved mother. I'm also starting to believe that Kate wanted to confess and Gerry came up with the story and cover up.However...I don't think we should celebrate too soon. Of course they would have been aware that all of this would come out in court. Their lawyers, both British and Portuguese, would have informed them. Therefore perhaps they have some killer evidence? Or ...they know that they might lose the libel case but will not be arrested as it's not a fraud/kidnapping/disappearance case.Why is Clarence not there? or is he? I wonder if even he is starting to realise that he's been helping the wrong people. Perhaps the British government, having helped the mccanns, despair of their constant bleating for more money, rather than shutting up and thanking their lucky stars that they got away with it.All very peculiar.On his statements it does seem that Gerry literally cannot see his own share of responsibility in Madeleine's disappearance. He blames everyone else but himself. Everybody elses reputation can be smeared but theirs. A reasonable man would not do this. He would take some responsibility. I imagine Jane Tanner will take the stand? will come out with her erratic story once again?Or maybe it's all about keeping at least one parent safe to bring up the twins...in the UK.

So gmccann wont be giving evidence This time round after they both said yesterday they would take the stand after G.A was finished giving his evidence.g mccann said he has to head off back to the U.K for commitments that he couldnt change on short notice?? What short notice he has known about this hearing for over a month now!!

Goncalos Team should be asking mccann all the relevant questions when mc cann is giving his press conferences out side the court.

1.If you want the search to continue for Madeline Why dont you request Publicly for the case to be reopened?

2.Gerry your wife hindered the investigation by not answering 48 simple questions put to her Why was that Gerry?

3.You obviously accept the existance of the dogs Gerry because you watched them both discover cadaver scents and blood stains in numerous places,vehicles and apartments etc all and only connected to you and Kate weeks after Madeline disappeared.But do you accept these unblemished dogs abilities? and if not why not .Wheres your evidence to prove the dogs are useless and no Gerry we wont ASK the dogs because everyone knows Gerry that the dogs dont literally talk but their barking does all the talking for them.Probably the real reason your rushing back to the U.K is to change your underpants and trousers and fear of stage fright if you had had to be asked sqeeky bum time questions from Goncalos team.

Have no fear Kate, your husband may have buggered off back to the UK sharpish because it's not going quite how his lawyer said it would and his work is much more important than his missing daughter, but..... Fiona Payne is flying out to the rescue!

omg - The Sky video `Kate and I aren`t on trial` had to make me giggle - the man is unbelievable - he stands there as if he`s the prime minister addressing his public ! And its all lies. What an absolute dickhead he is. And the other video `Gerry dismisses Madeleine claims` - what a nasty person he is, what an arrogant, jumped up bully. You can see how easy he finds it to bully people. I used to like the Glaswegian accent, but his nasty little voice makes me feel violent.Louise

"Though individuals with NPD are often ambitious and capable, the inability to tolerate setbacks, disagreements or criticism, along with lack of empathy, make it difficult for such individuals to work cooperatively with others or to maintain long-term professional achievements.[20] With narcissistic personality disorder, the person's perceived fantastic grandiosity, often coupled with a hypomanic mood, is typically not commensurate with his or her real accomplishments.

The exploitative, sense of entitlement, lack of empathy, disregard for others, and constant need for attention inherent in NPD adversely affect interpersonal relationships....

It has been suggested that narcissistic personality disorder may be related to defenses against shame....

Typically, as narcissism is an ingrained personality trait, rather than a chemical imbalance, medication and therapy are not very effective in treating the disorder [there is no cure]"

My brother suffers from this. He is impossible. He has all the answers and no opinion but his own is valid in his eyes.

This is the behaviour of Gerry, no other thesis is possible but his own, and coupled with his fear "what will our parent's think? when they find out that Kate has, in a moment of madness, "dondered" Madeleine. Dondered is a South African term, very expressive, for beaten the hell out of her.

I think the Portuguese are inaccurate in thinking that there was an accident. Manslaughter is more like it.

I was thinking the same thing. Surely the best support for Kate would be her mother rather than the paedo's wife and consummate liar with such a vivid and varied imagination that is Jane Tanner??? (Actually, will she even recognise Kate McCann? By now she'd be imagining her as fat with red hair and a swarthy complexion....)

Anyway, they really don't want the family to hear the real details do they. There is never any family present.

Also, why does Gerry keep harping on about damaging the search for Madeleine. Why doesn't some reporter just have the balls to say to him about the fact that they have never searched for Madeleine. Never!

Kate will be too ill to attend or will faint in court. All very predictable. And in response to comment 40. A theory from senior police officers is meaningless. But a theory from Gerry McCann. We should all sit and listen because it must be the truth. What a farce.

1. The headlines even in allegedly pro McCann papers have been designed to maximise damage to them - simply repeating the police allegations without quotation marks.

2. One has to wonder why the McCanns are putting themselves through this. I can only think it comes back to how dangerous UK publication of the Amaral book would be to them. They probably feel things will spin out of control.

The McCann has scuttling back to the UK because he knows he can't stand up to Snr Amaral's lawyers questioning on the stand in court. Expect a rehearsed histrionic act soon in court from Lady McCann to make Snr Amaral's lawyers appear to be heartless morons!!! He will find time though to give plenty of spin to the media won't he. Notice how he refused to answer one journalists questions outside the court but insisted on answering only his own point about how there is "no evidence." Gerry you are fooked and you know it. If he had agreed time off for the court case why would he have to return, More Lies.

so Gerry wants to return home because of work committments???Dont be fooled....he's off home for advice...its all going pearshaped! ( i bet the phones behind the scenes are going crazy ).

On the first day Martin Brunt said it had been scheduled for 3 days and no mention then that Gerry would need to return after only 2.

Are we to believe that his supporting colleagues, and the hospital would demand him back knowing such a serious case is in progress...i dont think so!

What has happened to Clarence Mitchell....Gerry know has a spokeswoman what a time to change a key figure?It raises the question has Clarence been their to help Gerry or protect somebody elses interests. Who did Clarence used to work for?

I am beginning to think that this court case bought against Goncalo Amaral was against the advice of his backers....and they are angry with him pursuing it.I mean lets think this through...the point of the case is to destroy the book "the truth of the Lie" and in effect gagg Goncalo Amaral from getting the investigation detail out there...when in effect this whole court case has done it much more severely.If the book goes back on the shelf shortly... well the streisland effect will be overwhelming aswell.

Dont be fooled he his heading back for advice to try and salvage some kind of recovery from these knockout blows he has been sitting through!

I suspect due to the weather that many more people are been exposed to details of the case that possibly they would never have got to hear aswell. Lets not forget many people are home when normally they would be at work!

Ive heard people talking about the case and expressing that something is very wrong.The tide has turned!!!

I just cannot see it, that is the McCanns taking the stand, especially if Amaral's lawyer quotes evidence/ notes/ statements from the process. It would be fraught with risk and I doubt if they will risk it. I may be wrong, he is such an arrogant brute that he would front it out but he would have to answer questions and could not stomp away if it got too hot. Her an unknown quantity, calculating perhaps. They clearly were not banking on the flies being allowed or the other officers statements. Where did McCann rush off to? To hide to avoid the witness stand as we know they do not like questions? What have they got to hide?

Anonymous #50,"2.Gerry your wife hindered the investigation by not answering 48 simple questions put to her Why was that Gerry?"

The answer is very simple.They cannot contradict each other and they didn't know what the questions would be.Therefore if one of them refuses to answer the questions but the other one answers them all, no contradiction.

Here's what appears to be a very recent foto of the Portuguese judge, Maria Gabriela Cunha Rodgrigues. (She's the young woman on the far right.) Her father, also pictured, is an ex-Attorney General for Portugal... and currently a judge on the European Court of Justice in Luxembourg.

Video slow for me at the moment - continuously buffering. When I watched it earlier today GM's response to a question about Kate dreaming that Madeleine was on top of a hill was 'It didn't happen'

"it didn't happen'

Is that what Kate told him last night? Was it a surprise to GM? Why is he going home today? Does he think there might be more surprises? Will Kate clarify whether it did or didn't 'happen' on the stand or as a question as part of a press question/answer session.

Since when has GM left Kate behind to face the music. Yes, he's left her at home but....something has split them at a crucial time. No handholding tomorrow....

Gerry was fuming this morning , shouting at journalists and having a real hissy fit. He seems to have changed his mind about why he has asked for an injuunction- this morning he was saying that it is all about evidence, and how they were hoping for new leads to continue their search. Hey??? I thought they were going to court in order to stop a person stating an opinion as they believed that opinion to be harmimg the search for Madeleine. He also whinged about how only they are looking for Madeleine- well while you are in Portugal Gerry why not ask for the case to be re-opened. Get Kate to answer those questions at the same time!!! She has had nearly two years to think of some answers!!!This afternoon leaving court he was a lot calmer and less confrontational- reminding us all that the book was on trial and not he & Kate- well not Mr Amaral either Gerry. While we are on the subject- why has Mr Amaral got to come up with evidence of his opinion that Madeleine is dead, when you have never produced evidence for your opinion that she was abducted. He did finally acknowledge his blame at the end of the day, he & Kate should not have left Maddie alone in the apartment (? I thought she was with the twins?)and they would have to live with that forever. That is the closest thing to actually taking responsibility. About bloody time, and it comes to this before he is finally shamed into it. It is fascinating stuff this court case, if not tragic as it is a little girl at the centre of it.....

I think this allegation that the FSS admitted to contaminating the samples is bogus. Sorry, but it sounds to me like he has misread what Lowe said in his report.There is no proof of this idea anywhere in the files.

On their last trip to Portugal, Isabel Duarte described Kate McCann as a 'broken woman' - she then claimed it was she who asked the McCanns to attend the court hearing because, bizarrely, she needed support. Now Gerry McCann has left his 'broken' wife to face the music without him, claiming 'work commitments'- and Fiona Payne has been hauled in to act as minder....this whole charade just could not get any stranger.

Important quote from today - Moite Flores:'The only thing that proven was there was no abduction'

Tavares de Almeida: well-wishers who had given cash donations to the fund had been conned as the girl was dead and the money was being wasted.

The fund is a con. The money is being wasted. The UK police do nothing. So it goes on. I hope someone in authority will scrutinise the accounts when they are published. Perhaps the Inland Revenue should now investigate???

Something is bothering me thought. Are the McCanns going to sue all the other witnesses present in court, that confirmed Amaral´s thesis ? There was no abduction.......they all said, the window is too small.Unless ....e.g. they are involved in the illegal sale of human organs. Gerry is so sure of himself--- there is no evidence that she is dead ..... Maybe so if she been cut up and put into little plastic bags in the cars boot.Please dont take me seriously, but one has to keep pace with the McCanns callous talent for lying and staging such tragedy concerning their reputation/$$$$$$$$$$$$$.Jamar

Why is this detective being sued for wrongly stating he believes madeleine to be dead. If the McCanns are so adamant she was abducted would they please prove their daughter is NOT dead and show us the absolute proof of their facts not their Thesis for it.

I know what I mean. If he can't publish his book because they say he is wrong let them prove it.Untill then publish away

I wonder what the urgency of Mr. McCanns work commitments are, they must be quite important to leave poor Mrs. McCann alone with support from a friend and not her husband, well at least she wont be home alone unlike her children during their holiday in Portugal when her daughter went missing,and lets face it, if Mrs. McCann is called upon to answer any questions she is quite competant with her "no comment" reply!!!!

Public opinion has turned against them, those who previously had no opinion now have a negetive view of this pair and are asking questions, whatever happens their reputation is in tatters and unrepairable.

Gerry has always commanded people around him.From day one, appeals, Portuguese population and tourists searching for Maddie,Luz Church gave him the key,he manipulated the media,the Pope blessed him,Brown phoned himhe got millions of poundsno police control at the airport, diplomacy was serving him, demanding, demandingdemanding and not used to lose.

he manipulated everybody to do everything for himand they all did. He is losing now and he commands his wife to catch the bullets and he is leaving or left already.What a hero.My impression is that Kate has a unstable personality, he should not leave her in these circunstances.But maybe it is necessary and urgent.It is possible he got to talk to Payne, personally, that's why he is going back and Fiona is coming to Lisbon.

Why Fiona, Kate, no friends left?Why not your loving mother or can't she be told what really happened to her granddaughter?

probably because Fiona is one of the very few who really knows what kind of life Madeleine had and how she died.Except for Gerry himself, Kate only has gotten the Paynes, to whom she can talk freely.Payne does not dare to come to Portugal and poor Gerry has to miss the rest of the hearings, after having fought for it for such a long time.

Something must have changed,something unexpected, yesterday or today, that's why he urgently left.Prefering to leave Kate alone than not to talk to Payne?

So Gerry says that Kate never dreamt of Madeleine somewhere on thew rocks over Luz...he's implying that Ricardo Paiva lied to the court or "misunderstood" what Kate told him..."lost in translation", is that it, Gerry? If that was the case, if Paiva invented the whole thing or "misunderstood"( which is strange, because he was assigned to be the liaison officer preciselly because he speaks english fluently), why were search teams with dogs sent to "comb" the hills and cliffs around Luz? If anyone invented the dream it was Kate herself, maybe it was a way out, the only way she had to point the investigators in the right direction without a confession, without incriminating herself. Most important, she was by herself at the time, Gerry was away, he wasn't there to control her, she had a moment of wealness and tried to end the charade. Once Gerry became aware of his wife "faux-pas", I bet it must have been a scary time for Kate, I almost feel sorry for her, oh, that bad temper of Gerry's, brrr...it never happened Kate, NEVER!...

Cadaver dog search-Let's apply some basic logic:Dog signals cadaver odour in Mccanns apartment (and other locations)No death has previously occurred in apartment.No dead body has previously been carried in the boot of the car used by them.A relative using the car said there was a bad smell in the boot.Can we therefore deduce that a death has occurred?Whose death could this be, if not Madeleine's?Other explanations- Unreliability of dog.Why would police spend such large amounts of money using them?Why are they being used in current Haiti disaster?Why did dog only indicate McC's apartment, clothes,car,car keys and toy?Are they, therefore, suggesting Martin Grime primed the dogs?If so, he would have undone a very extensive and expensive dog training programme.The McCanns have not produced evidence of their "thesis" of the unreliabilty of sniffer dogs.The blood detecting dog also produced a similar outcome.

Will the medis have the guts to report on the comments made about British interference in this case and the lack of information sent by Britain? -a piece of A4 paper on the Mccann's background- see Frances McKenna's letter from the Home Office. No credit card records, no medical records.....The person in overall control of the handling of this case in London knows what is going on here. However, Gerry is going off message and must be causing anxiety.

I wonder what made Gerry go back to England. Was this announced before? Or was it a last-minute-decision?And is not it odd that Fiona Payne is coming to keep company to Kate?Since May 2007, we never saw again any of the Paynes directly mixed up in Madeleine's issues, near a McCann. We saw them walking around with the McCanns and others of de Tapas, on the very first days, I think walking to the police station, we read that Fiona stayed near Kate during that night,and no Paynes anymore for ever and ever. And they are each others best friends.You should expect it, an interview, standing close to the McCanns...

Suddenly Fiona shows up in Portugal, to help Kate at the Tribunal, attracting the attention to herself, after the Gaspars'statements, Wauw, the McCanns must be desperate.An could it be that Gerry went to see David for some reason?

No Oldfield, no O'Brian, Tanner, Rachel?

Are Tapas 5 still willing to be friends with those Tapas 4?I suspect they are not.

If going back to work is more important to Gerry McCann than staying to see this case through, then it confirms what we already know - What he wants to do comes before the kids, just as it did the night they left them and Madeleine went missing (so they say).

Seems to me, when the going gets tough, he goes and leaves others to fight his corner and he just sits back and hopes to receive another big payout.

Anonymous - 50, the real reason for so swift rushing to the UK is to get new advise from their support team. Something went unpredictably wrong for mccann's. And better for him not to talk by phone, not to use the Internet, but to talk personally. He even left Kate alone! Who will keep her hand! Or may be he'll be back before tomorrow morning? With new "LEGAL ADVISE". (As THIS were his last words before he left.) But when he finished answering the last questions he looked SO embarrassed like a little boy who is running to his dad to complain about his offender. GOD BLESS YOU MR AMARAL! WE WISH YOU A GREAT VICTORY! WE ALL WANT THE TRUTH! We all want to be free to speak!

What sort of parents leave three little children unattended??? They knew Madeleine had been crying her eyes out just the previous night, Madeleine, herself, told her mum so. On the eve, the upstairs neighbour heard Maddie crying for a long time, in the middle of the night, on her own... No one to soothe her... And the Mcanns didn't care their children were out of sight, out of hearing distance?? How dare they say they are responsible parents?? I really don't know whether they killed their own daughter or not, but I know they were extremely negligent. They were not teenagers, yet, they abandoned their children. Yes, they did. Poor, poor Madeleine!

Very interesting developments... Goncalo leaves court in a hurry... then Gerry McCann gets up and leaves... and at some point gives a press conference to say 'work committments' force him back? Was the trial not expected to last 2-3 days and have they not known about it for 2-3 months?? Why will Gerry not be available to give evidence if requested to do so?? How convenient that once again they will not answer in court of law.... unbelievable... HOw could he leave for work committments when 'the search for his daughter' is the most important work that he indicates he does and tells his twins that he does day in and day out.. so he can look them in the eyes?? Contradictory?? Case not going so well Gerry?? Losing control?? Hmmm.... Mr. Amaral you have my sincere good wishes and hoping for the outcome that justice in any country in the world would find.... You have a right to your opinion... and Maybe the judge should ask Mr. McCann why his opinion is allowed and where his evidence of 'abduction' is?? Viva the truth... Goncalo Amaral... from Canada

Why has gerry gone back to the UK? Will he come back with the evidence of an abduction then?I bet tomorrow we will hear the poor mccann woman is "indisposed" and cannot be in court.....aw.....woof...woof...

Did anyone hear Gerry McCann speaking outside the court today. If they did, did they hear him say, he and his wife made a mistake when they left Madeleine alone in their apartment.

His comment has played on my mind, because like a lot of other posters, I've followed this case since the news of Madeleine's disappearance broke.

I remember Gerry McCann saying that on his check at 21:05, which was his only check, he looked at Madeleine in her bed and thought how lucky he was to be her father. I thought, what a strange thing to say, when he has 3 children.

I found it strange when Kate McCann said she ran to the Tapas bar to raise the alarm. I presumed the twins were sleeping in their cots and I remember thinking, she should have taken the twins with her. I also remember one of the McCanns saying, the twins slept throughout the noise that occurred when everyone was in their apartment.

Photographs were taken of the inside of the apartment and there was no bedding on the twins beds. I remember there was lots of comments about this on different forums.

After hearing Gerry McCann reveal that Madeleine was alone in the apartment, I believe he was speaking the truth. I think the reason the twins weren't there, was either because Madeleine had told her parents, that she and Sean had woken up the previous evening. Or the twins needed to be out of the apartment, when Madeleine was being taken away, by someone within the McCanns circle.

I think she could have been dead, because of the cadaver scent and blood that the sniffer dogs found in their apartment. I'm not sure how the scent was found in the hire car, but the scent that was found on a piece of cloth, could have been cloth that was used either to wipe Madeleine, or wrap her up in. I don't know how big the cloth was.

I hope a journalist heard what Gerry McCann said, because even though it might be too late to help the investigation, it is further proof that the McCanns are more involved with Madeleine's disappearance than neglect.

If Joana could give me the PJs email address, I would email them and tell them what I heard Gerry McCann say.

I believe Gerry McCann has scarpered back to the UK, because he doesn't want to be questioned. He knows that if his wife is questioned, she will come out with the no comment answer, she came out with when she refused to answer the 48 questions.

If the McCanns are proven not so innocent, it's up to the Public Ministry to re-open the case - but that is not on trial. What is being judged is a MATTER OF FREEDOM OF OPINNION AND EXPRESSION (as Joana so very well expressed).

As a portuguese citizen that fought and lived the erradication of censorship(very innocently at first - I was under 10 y. o. when I delivered information against the OPPRESSION to several places...)I cannot accept that anyone, under any excuse,will be GAGGED. The most precious liberty of the human being is THOUGHT.

Not allowing comments. Daily Mail allowing some but clearly curtailing to include only criticism of McCanns for "leaving kids unattended" - nothing about the real issues allowed. No doubt the Carter Ruck low life have been in contact again.

It's not looking good for the McCanns I feel . Yes, we've all been there before when we thought it wasn't looking good for them but somehow they always seemed able to exert influence.

But Portugal is Portugal. The Portugese elite cannot risk a social explosion. The opposition are doing well to keep stressing the red carnation significance. This is indeed about free speech, a free society. The Portugese politicians and lawyers might want to do the UK's bidding and support the McCanns but my feeling is that it has gone too far. They cannot ban the book. It undermines Portugese society too much to do so.

The McCanns are going to have to fight it in the UK courts and there that means they have to go in the witness box.

While those of us who have taken an interest in the case all along already knew what was in the official case files about the investigation, there's no doubt all the things being said in the courtroom must come as a real shock to those members of the public who've believed the spin. And who is responsible for the spin? Who is responsible for making sure the contents of the case files never made it into the papers? Who tried to threaten every paper that dared to deviate from the Team McCann line of 'she was abducted', that dared to even mention any other theory?

I think we all know who masterminded the publicity for this case, who had - and probably still has - influence as to what gets printed. But he won't be able to stop what is said in a courtroom getting out to the public, no matter what spin he tries to force the papers to put on it. If this case had been allowed to be reported in a normal way, with the media not taking sides but being even-handed, then there'd be none of the shock value of what's being disclosed now. It would all have happened over a period of time and be already known to the public, whereas now it's all coming out at once and looks particularly damning.

I must remember if ever I find myself in a tight spot not to employ an 'official spokesman/reputation protector/spinner' as in the long run they're not worth their very high salary.

Isn't it strange that Gerry is heading back to the U.K. after only the second day? He has previously been able to have time off to go globe-hopping but of course he was getting sympathetic press then. I just find it odd that he is leaving Kate to face the music alone. Although maybe he is indeed bailing out.

“There were English elements here, incognito. We were targeted by surveillance and highly controlled by the English authorities”, Tavares de Almeida

Gerry McCann obviously has "friends" in the ranks of British intelligence.

Why would they associate with him? What has he got to offer them?

How did he manage to create those bonds?

What is there in Gerry McCann's background that could make him valuable enough to the Brits to have a professional cover-up to Madeleine's death be sanctioned high up and carried out in such a professional way?

Why do you think Gerry does not proclaim himself innocent but only talks about the "lack of evidence"?

Could a traumatized group of simple doctors carry out this level of deception?

Could that group lean on the Forensic Science Services to tamper with results and then destroy the original samples?

The McCanns are not the only ones with everything at stake here and the Portuguese know exactly who they are dealing with. Amaral will not be "disgraced" but there will be many government officials who will be when the truth is finally told.

Hi Joana,..you have a word in Portuguese...FOK..what does it mean..????.is this what GA said to the BBC reporter. I think we need to get a retraction on this one they are saying he said Fuck...With their lack of knowledge for anything foreign I think this is what has happened.

Amaral presented the British press with two gifts yesterday. A four letter outburst "F*** the McCanns" has been widely reported, and the Sun are touting how he sat in front of Kate McCann reading a copy of The English Gag.

The dogs were wrong in the Jersey case (they thought animal bones were human). They don't "lie", but they're animals motivated by a treat and a desire to impress their trainer. In short, without a body, the dogs' input is ultimately useless.

I think the McCanns are guilty, but until a body turns up they're in the clear.

I've just found out this isn't the only book written about the case. Vanished by Danny Collins published before Mr Amarals book, give opinions on what may have happened. I wonder if Mr Amarals team are aware of this book.

Fiona Payne flies out to "babysit" Kate!Another one who could not be bothered to come back for the PJ reconstruction ( but of course, Kate and Gerry were totally willing to come...)but is more than happy to leave her children alone with the father(danger!) to rush to her poor frail friend's side! What the f#*ck, is Kate a child to need to be babysit, a grown woman, go figure! And why Payne? As someone has commented before, where are the family members? Weren't they described as a close-knit family, well, at least the Mccann clan? Were they all wooshed-clunked too?...

To publicise that the child is dead with out evidence,Is not acting on the best interest of Madeleine The search should continue until any evidence is found.************************************************Police hunting missing chef Claudia Lawrence yesterday declared they are now treating the case as murder.

No body has been found but detectives believe the 35-year-old, who vanished five weeks ago, is dead despite her family's belief that she is still alive.

Investigation leader Detective Superintendent Ray Galloway said: "I have no proof that Claudia is alive, so I must suspect she has been murdered."

Now both girls are missing - one was 4 the other was 35who has the most chance of survival?"

From Gerry McCann's chat with the press yesterday, this is highlighted in article on Sky News Site.

"I think it is particularly disappointing that certain police officers within Portimao who considered us as possibly involved in Madeleine's disappearance have not been able to change their minds despite a lack of evidence. It is these officers we are dependent on for pursuing the investigation within Portugal."Gerry McCann

---

Clearly if it was the officers belief based on the information gathered during the investigation and contained in the police files that there is a possibility the parents are involved (which there is) then why would they change this belief if no further evidence has come to light which would allow them to form a different opinion?

Kate and Gerry have not changed their opinion/thoughts due to there being no further credible leads information, or evidence.

Why then would Gerry McCann expect others to change theirs? There may not be conclusive evidence against the McCann's or anyone else, but police when gathering information, do form opinions on what may have happened and reach the most likely and probable occurrance based on that information.

I do wonder if Gerry McCann ever stops to think before blurting out such ridiculous statements? At best they are nonsensical!

I wonder if Paulo Rebelo will be called as a witness...I think he should be, to be asked what line of inquiry did he and his team follow when he took charge of the case. Since Mr. amaral and his team are accused of assuming Madeleine's death and investigating that possibility only and therefore looking for a body and not a live child, it would be interesting to hear what other scenarios did Rebelo's team investigat, how and what were the results. Did he investigate the abduction line only, or did he look at other possibilities, accidental death included? Maybe none...as I have always felt his job was a mere "front", a "stage-performance" to prepare the archiving, "para inglês ver".

Speaking as she arrived for a third day of hearings at the main civil court in Lisbon, she acknowledged that this week had taken its toll. "If I'm honest, our daughter's been taken and nothing's ever going to be as bad as that," she said.

Well everyone knows she's a liar , so by saying that knowing she isn't honest, then her daughter has NOT been taken, and when she eventually goes to jail things really will be bad for her

Joana: The McCanns keep repeating to the media that the conclusions of the prosecutor are that the PJ evidence described in testmony yesteraday was "incorrect" and that the "conclusions of the prosecutor in the process are that there is "no evidence that Madeleine is dead or that we are involved." This is not being challenged in the media. I believe it is vital that this is challenged in court and in the media. Please can you try to ensure that quotations from the Prosecutiors conclusions be read out in court by Snr Amaral's lawyer which clearly conclude the likely death of the child in the apartment and no evidence of abduction. I fear for Snr Amaral's defence if this is not clearly done quickly.

Many people think that the moon landings were faked - the photographs have been shown to be faked - not taken on the moon at least.

If I write a book saying that the yanks definately did not go to the moon and that they faked the whole thing to give the russkies the idea that they were all powerful - am I slandering / libelling Neil Armstrong?

I would in effect be saying he is a total liar and charlatan.

I personally believe the reason that the photos were faked is because the cameras did not work on the moon! I believe that they did go - but wanted photo evidence to shove down the throats of the russians.

Armaral's book comes into this categoray - as does the opinion of anyone who dismisses the abduction theory - for which there is no evidence.

Any opinion that does not concur with the mccanns - effectively makes them out to be dishonest - which harms their reputation - is it libellous?

I cannot see the Mccanns winning this particular battle unless Gordon Brown has influence over the preceedings - however, he does not have influence here in the UK anymore - so it is unlikely he will give two shakes of a lambs tail for this court case.

Isabel Duarte said the abductor could have left the apartment through other way, as it would have being impossible, through that window.Jane Tanner saw the abductor crossing the street and she "identified"Murat.'In this case the abductor left through the front door, which was locked by key, swore Gerry, and it was still locked when they missed the child.

The tweets from SKy are averaging one or two an hour and he makes no mention of the files being referred to although I'm sure the witnesses are being taken to them when giving evidence - is this a deliberate omission?

Slightly worrying 129 that that apparently wasn't picked up in court - was the door locked, or not??

Also troubling that no firm evidence beyond the dogs and the window theories. Still more than the abduction side. Ultimately, I can see this case going either way. Having not read the book, I don't know how much Amaral accuses the McCanns. If he is talking about a theory, "one possibility", he's on safer ground

Just think of the implications if it can be proved that the McCanns are guilty of hiding a body. Fraud, lies, deceit at the highest level. They HAVE to keep insisting their innocence. There is no alternative.

Is The Sun your favorite newspaper? Do you believe The Sun? Goncalo Amaral already denied he ever pronounced those words. And as to the reading of his book in court, why not? As far as I know it is not YET banned. But I woudn't believe this either. The Sun is not known for it's credible reporting. Again they try to portray him as a bad character. I WOULD GAG THE SUN ;)

The Mccann's are pursuing a dangerous way, very danger to a pair of negligent parents which was now proved in court, the only evidence the police have( Portuguese and British), points at them and at Maddie dead. All the inspectors, plus Moita Flores stated that. The prosecutor Magalhaes e Meneses stated that for him it was 50/50 but the must probably it is Maddie dead. We can understand why he have to say 50/50 because he was pressured by the government to shelve the case. The case was shelved Not because there was no evidences but because at that moment there is a lake of cooperation by the UK, with inspectors asking a very important question: WHY AFTER A FIRST FORENSIC TEST DONE ON SAMPLES COLLECTED FROM THE FLAT AND THE CAR WHICH SHOW A MATCHING 15 ALLELES OF Madeleine in 19, the next report came inconclusive because of contamination? When that samples were collected, PJ was already under fire accused of not sealing properly the flat ( which was already contaminated by the Mccann's even before any police reach the place). I don't believe that after so many accusations, the samples were not collected properly. Who collect the samples were people from the FSS and the police lab science in Portugal. ALL very competent technicians and with a lot of experience. Then, where the samples were been contaminated and by who? In the FSS LAB, WHY? Because the result was not convenient for the Mccann's and the British authorities, which at time were already too involved with the couple and with a very poor and rubbish Media. I think that was the main reason to shelve the case. The prosecutor in Portugal, realise that in UK all the case was corrupted and nobody will help them with the rest of the evidences they need to bring the case to courts. BUT GOD DID NOT SLEEP and all who help the Mccann's will face justice and the shame of the big majority in the world.

THE FUND MUST BE SHUT DOWN AND INVESTIGATED AND THEY MUST GAVE BACK ALL THE MONEY TO PEOPLE WHO CONTRIBUTED AND ASK THE MONEY BACK.

You Gerry, you are Playing a dangerous and dirty game with people from all over the world which are well informed and don't buy your lies. TODAY MAYBE he ALREADY ARRIVE AT UK AND START his SPIN MACHINE. THE SUN have a very disgraceful article saying that Amaral was insulting the Mccann's with words which I refuse to repeat here. THIS IS A TOTALLY LIE, A RUBBISH WHICH PROVE THAT THIS NEWSPAPER DID NOT KNOW WHAT IS JOURNALISM, HAVE NO ETHIC AND NO LIMITS TO SUIT Gerry AGENDA. I'm ready to do the same I have done about Parson's, writing a huge complain to the Press commission because not everything is acceptable. You Gerry must show-up at SKY to excuse SUN ATTITUDE AND SAY SORRY NOT ONLY TO AMARAL BUT TO ALL PORTUGAL AND ALL THE PORTUGUESE. YOU DON'T DESERVE OUR MONEY AND OUR TIME... WHEN WE ARE LOOKING FOR YOUR DAUGHTER. WE DID NOT FORGIVE YOU.

In no way will our boy Gerald take the stand. Can you imagine him being grilled by GA's lawyer? Being forced to answer to difficult questions? Not being able to be in control? With his nasty character he would explode, he would loose his cool (as he has done several times)and that would be his downfall. And I don't think Kate will speak either, she would probably spoil everything and Gerald would be very, very angry. No way!

This case was a complete mistake that Gerry will never forgive himself. His sudden retreat to England was it to answer to a call from Clarence? Are they both going to try and "shape" the things? Clarence will be obviously very worried with what is being said in the courtroom (and outside).

No you wouldn't, if it was just your opinion, and you could explain your reasons why you think that happened.

There are people saying things like this all the time and they are not sued, though one of them was socked on the nose by one of the astronauts one time, because he approached him and accused him of having not gone to the moon.

In the case of Madeleine, the McCanns have never themselves PROVED an abduction, so they have a nerve going around threatening people who say differently.

If you were to accuse the McCanns of murder, then they would be able to sue you.

Sr Amaral is sticking to the facts and circumstances surrounding the investigation, and that is how he is backing up his conclusions of what may have happened.

He is saying it is possibly an accident happened to Madeleine, but let's face it, it might have been something far worse than that.

Portugal,Day 3, 1.37pm. outside the Court. Isabel Duarte (McCanns Lawyer) speaks to assembled Press, "We knew that we were opening Pandora's Box"-----"The opposing side are trying to do in Civil Court,what it could not do in a Criminal Court". Well now, the McCanns set this action in motion so cant complain when things come out which they have tried to suppress since Madeleine vanished.If Snr.Amaral's witnesses HAD been banned from Court as was attempted by the McCann Lawyers,the wider world might not have learned about some of the details of the P.J. investigation. Things like Kate's bad dreams leading to a search of some hills following her tearful phonecall to their Liason Officer------Oh I forgot, Gerry said that did'nt happen! In which case, why was a search carried out? I ask myself "would I buy a used car from Gerry" ? I dont think so.

Isabel Duarte asked Mr. Da Silva "Why didn't you include the public attorney's verdict that the conclusions arrived at by the investigators were incorrect?" and he answered that it was a story. I think that was a trick question - it was an outright lie on her part and she should be taken to task on this.Louise

If you were G. McCann`s supervisor at work, would you honestly allow him to be making vital clinical decisions at this moment in time, especially after seeing his performance outside the courthouse. It would be interesting to know exactly what he was needed for that someone else couldn`t cover - he goes on as if he`s indispensible. I don`t believe he was called back for a work committment.Louise

jondipaolo @ 4:58pm today: "Kate mccann has left court. She said she believes in portuguese justice and these proceedings will go a long way to help find madeleine."

1) Kate McCann believes in Portuguese justice?? If she trusts the justice system, why is she not doing more to cooperate with the Portuguese police?

2) Banning of a book will go a long way to help find Madeleine?? Why - is the book the reason her Defectives haven't gone to retrieve Madeleine from the lair near Praia da Luz YET? Or is she so hung up on the £1M payout for the libel trial? Can £1M do what the Fund's £2M has failed to do??

I wish some of these reporters would challenge those two on what they really mean!

"One has to wonder why the McCanns are putting themselves through this?"

A)To prevent the 'Truth of the lie' being printed in English and diseminated in the UK.B)To prevent the documentary from being aired in the UK.C)The small matter of 1.2 million to spend at their discretion as trustees of the'fund'.D)The desperate need preserve their good name and unimpeachable character.

They could well succeeed with A, B, C but D is now unattainable, whatever the verdict of this hearing and concomitant libel case.

142 you do not understand libel. 128 was not asking if he could be sued for saying 'they never went to the moon' down the pub, or having this opinion. He/she was asking if he/she wrote such in a book (thus damaging the astronauts' professional reputation), would this be libellous. Yes it would.... unless he/she could prove beyond reasonable doubt the accuracy of this thesis.... ie take on NASA and 40 years of American history

In Amarl's case it depends how the book is phrased... is he saying 'we believed that this happened' and detailing the process of the investiagtion? If so, he may be ok. Anything stronger, he may not. I would imagine the publishers' lawyers went through it before publication with a toothcomb for libel.... if they didn't, they are unprofessional, at best.

"It's disappointing that certain police officers who considered us as possibly involved in Madeleine's disappearance have not been able to change their mind, despite a lack of evidence."

"It is these officers who we're dependent on for pursuing the investigation within Portugal."

Reporter said:

"Their main motive for challenging the former policeman is the fear that people will believe his version and will stop looking for their daughter."

Mr. McCann's main contention is with Mr. Amaral's conclusions. So, how can a detective's reasoning be considered Libel?

The officers whom he is disappointed with were removed from the case, didn't he and his wife ask the British government to bring the Portuguese investigation to a halt? They succeeded, so what is he complaining about?

Who exactly is going to stop looking for Madeleine? There is no one looking for Madeleine in England and few if any have read Mr. Amaral's book. Mr. McCann believes he is more intelligent than the public and thus unlike the public he can reason that the facts in the case do not lead to a deduction of a simulation of an abduction with concealment of the cadaver. Much like a parent of a child, he will decide what the public will be allowed to read or see.

In the actual trial, If I was Mr. Amaral's lawyer I would show both Mr. Amaral's and Mr. McCann's documentary of the reconstitution of that fateful night. I would point out how Mr. McCann's conclusion that his daughter was abducted is based on fallacies.

I think McCann hotfooted it back to the UK to discuss with his fatcat lawyers, Carter Ruck, because he is terrified the hearing is not going all the McCann's way! Shame Gerry, but you can't win 'em all!!

The Mccanns lost the wonderful chance to have kept their mouths.But they could not stop.They started making a wave and now they can not control the tsunami.Gerry looked very depressed yesterday, tired red eyes.They must regret they never called an ambulance and never told the truth.Just calling 112, "we are irresponsible criminals, come and take us".

Isabel Duarte must be deadly tired and angry with Pandora.This is not easy for her, not at all.

They spout CONSTANT bile that Amaral,the police, and the dogs have no proof of Maddie being dead ,but they have NO PROOF WHATSOEVER that she was abducted ,and not one reporter outside the court had the guts to ask them for their proof she was NOT dead

And you could extend what you have deduced to the second part of her statement - that there ///are/// things that are worse than having your daughter taken (by the Lord?) and this court case is just one of those things.....

Phooff! the the King with the big hat says a few words, crosses his cloak across his face and disappears. The good fairy was summoned. As if by magic the good fairy appears behind - not beside - the abandoned Queen.

No entry, no exit...

The good fairy was always a bit off message...she thought it was odd that the Queen kept checking on the ypung prince and princesses breathing and the good fairy had let it be known that the queen had told her that the elder princess had cried for mummy and daddy the night before she disappeared.

Just before she was summoned, the good fairy was having doubts, her conscience was pricked by a message that said she could seek redemption if she told of her doubts and that it would be kept secret until the King and Queen were safely under lock and key with no chance of appeal.

But she was summoned, stood behind, and learned that she could be repeatedly summoned for many years to come.

142I think that the Portuguease are being to easy by saying it was a tragic accident. Have they got proof of this, as opposed to child abuse? There is one interview where Kate said, knowing what I know now when Madeleine said that she had been crying the night before, I would have taken her by the arms and shaken her and said, why were you crying, what happened.....and she demonstrated how she would physically have done this. On the tennis photo, Madeleine has an ecchymosis on her arm. This was also pointed out by Amaral in one of his interviews.

My "thesis" is that Kate was barely managing the three kids at her luxury home. She at least had everything in place there to have a measure of control over the "screamer", the one that held onto her for 18 hours a day, and that ran up and down behind her mother when she was feeding twins, screaming for attention.

Here she is "slumming" it in a small apartment in Portugal, with none of the amenities that she was used to. Twins in cots on the floor, no "naughty stair" for Madeleine. A husband that was not there to help her because he was playing tennis 24/7. Neither were her mother or neighbours there to take a child or two off her hands for a short moment. By the end of the week, which was a nightmare for Kate, she just "lost it" with Madeleine. You don't have blood spatter on a wall without something violent having taken place. I think it is manslaughter, nothing more nothing less. Gerry took the body away, and was seen doing so by several Smith family members. I think that some of the deleted calls and SMSs were to people that had another apartment in Luz, and to whom's house they could take the body and hide it, until they had the hire car, at which point they very likely took the body out of Portugal, far away from sniffer dogs etc.

This is the coverup of the century and the fraud of the century. They wil be telling this story on Crime&Investigation in the next 200 years...

BBC TV East Midland, and various newspaper groups have been reported to OFFCOM and the Press Complaints for saying and printing that Goncalo Amaral, used the "F" word against the McCanns, when he quite clearly didn't.

Martin Brunts' blog deleted my comment about how the McCanns operate:eg- they pick a phrase, at the moment it is 'there is no evidence blah, blah' then they repeat it over & over, no matter what the question is, the answer is always that phrase. In December it was 'Freedom of speech should not mean distortion of the truth' or some such twaddle. They just then said it over & over, even their minder bloke in the dodgy coat said it. They are never then questioned on it, everyone just seems to accept this answer (even when it does not fit the question)It is as if they really believe that saying the same thing over & over will gradually convince people that it is the truth. I don't know what is so bad about what I said that Sky's moderators deleted it- there were posts about David Payne that they let stand!!! Still, I just wanted to make the same comment on here if Joana has no objections, if it has been removed on Sky then maybe it is making someone nervous!!!

Post 74. When McCann said: "all that matters is the conclusion, what the Prosecutor said yesterday, that there is no evidence that Madeleine is dead" etc. He was referring to the Conclusion of the Process before it was shelved in 2008 (also it was not said 'yesterday', which is simply his attempt to confuse things). He is somewhat misquoting too, as the gist of the overall conclusion said that MBM probably died in the apartment, but there was insufficiant evidence. The McCanns are hanging everything on their interpretation of this Process Prosecutor's Conclusion from 2008.

When is somebody going to ask the McCanns to PROVE there was an abduction before allowing them to sue or threaten to sue anybody who contradicts that?

Truth is, they can't.

Meanwhile, they should be told where to stuff their fairy story, and come back if and when they ever prove it.

That would be the last of the McCanns.

I ask you, what detective worth his salt would go to the press first to publish he had discoverd where Madeleine was, and risk alerting the so called 'abductor', before actually going and rescuing her first.

Yet this is done time and again by the McCanns. It's all good publicity for their marketing machine though.

Sr Amaral's book is based upon the facts and circumstances of the case that he worked on, which led to the conclusion of a death in the apartment, and no abduction.

The McCanns are not going after him because of that, because he is not reporting anything that is not already in the Files and already in the public domain. It will be hard for them to prove defamation. That much is obvious.

The reason they are using for trying to ban the book is because they want people to believe that the publishing of it would lead to people not searching for Madeleine. If this is their reasoning, they might just as well try and ban the Files.

As for the moon landings having been faked, there have been quite a number of books and documentaries about that. The people who believe this stuff are sincere, and they put forward good arguments, and can be quite convincing.

Of course they should have a right to say it because after all, on their reasoning, it may be true.

So far, nobody has been sued, they are more likely regarded as cranks. Ridicule is the weapon used against these people.

The McCanns also tried that on with Sr Amaral and the Portuguese investigation, and the UK media went along with it.

It is now being revealed that the ridicule was a load of lies, and the truth is starting to come out.

The McCanns are shooting themselves in the foot with this case because so much information they don't want known about is coming out.

They are no doubt trying desparately to stop the information about the Gaspar statements coming out, and the dubious behaviour of Payne and Gerry.

This could have been, or may still be, brought out by saying about how uncooperative the UK police were by not sending this important information on immediately to Portugal.

This was after all an investigation into the disappearance of a little girl. I hope Sr Amaral's lawyer manages to get it out in court before there are too many deflection antics by the McCanns' team.

The it would be interesting to see how the McCanns would spin on that one.

In response to the youtube posted by anon 65 & 66, No matter who carried Madeleine away on 3rd May 2007, the person must have had access to the hired car that the MCCann's later hired, OR the person must have had help from someone whom had access to that hired car, to place Madeleine's body in the boot and drive off with her, to a different location, it is the only explanation for Madeleine's DNA to be in that car 25 days after she disappeared....so who had access to that hired car? I know there has been an explanation published before as to who had the car back then...BUT, is it the truth? Also, watching that youtube again, makes me wonder WHY the statement from the Portuguese woman, who said that (after the McCann's hired the car, she saw that the boot was left open each night) according to this woman, she reported it to the PJ, but nothing came of it...that is strange...since one of the McCann's friends said that there was a smell in the car...and the car boot was cleaned by one of their friends...WHY would they clean it...instead of complaining to the hired car company? Most tourists would be angry at such a foul smell in their hired car on holiday, after all, they usually pay good money to hire a car, no one wants to smell unpleasant smells through-out their holiday imho.

I am shocked that Gerry was needed back at work at such an important time, of showing solidarity with his wife, very strange, after all this time, they have been holding hands in the most awkward positions,as if they were inseperable. Also, Gerry has been the one doing most of the talking during interviews....I can only imagine how BAD his bosses must feel right now, seperating them at such times of stress :-0

That's the McCanns for you. They certainly do that, like a form of brainwashing of the public. That's why they have got people to think that Madeleine was 'abducted'. We have heard it over and over again, and there is no proof whatsoever that it is true.

Martin Brunt should be ashamed for deleting somebody's comment which is true. So much for freedom of speech, eh.

Anon @68 .Anon @50 hereThe answer is simple. @68The answer is simple 68 in the world of blogs and posts etc but as I suggested in my post, these questions should put be to gmccann at his prime ministers(like) question time/impromptu press conference and I can assure you there would/will not be any simple answers forthcoming from the dis- honorable g mcann.

I see the Mother of all sorrows (kate) giving her tuppence worth on sky news earlier this evening, I hope all the people involved in the nominations for the oscars were watching because THE WINNER OF THE OSCAR FOR THE LEADING ROLE IN THE SHORT FILM CATEGORY GOES TO KATE MC CANN (WOW)WHAT A PERFORMENCE.

Sitting dumb while being asked a list of questions is standard advice from a lawyer - and as two posters here have indicated it is to stop them giving conflicting answers ... Reminds me of Ian Huntley and Levi Bellingfield - they did the same. I am quite surprised the BBC has published the list of questions (indicates their stance is moving from "pro" to "anti") ... this could be because of the vast media upheaval because of the case being brought in the portuguese court and the fact that people find Amaral credible.

Look at the latest story on the daily mail - I can see that 'red and green thumbs' on comments are no indicator but there are only 6 comments (all 'anti' - like here) and the green thumbs in agreement are up to 2000 on some comments - I have never seen that.

The problem is that they have nothing to say to defend themselves (which commonly happens in the case when people are guilty of course). Amaral's in going back to the room demonstrated that there was no disturbance of either the window or the bed below the window. One of the witnesses was absent from the scene for some time that night --- there is much speculation as to what he was doing. Why did the British Government weigh in so heavily to terminate the investigation? The British police said that there was enough evidence for it to go on but it was shelved. What are they hiding? I believe it is GMC who is perpetuating the lies ... KMC resigned (wouldn't be a doctor anymore) her emotions got through - maybe she didn't feel "valid" as a doctor anymore. I find GMK to be a very suspicious character. The "smith" family who said upon seeing GMK carrying one of his remaining children from the airport "that's was him - it was him on the beach walking down the beach carrying a child - 'that's how he carried a child'" - the father went to the police directly (In the UK?) with that information - this was late on in the investigation - so things were developing. But one of browns "PR" people managed to get Amaral fired and nobody will admit say who told him to go.

If they were innocent wouldn't it have been better to let the investigation complete? If they were innocent wouldn't they answer questions when brought in by the police as suspects? Why exactly was the investigation terminated at the highest level (from Gordon Brown) ... Brown was phoning GMK periodically in the early stages to offer support - where is the precedent for that? Who were these people? The Prime Minister has scuppered the police enquiry of a European Member state. No wonder Amaral is angry, it's not about money it's about justice as Amaral says "it will all come out in 30 years". But why not sooner? Brown must be made to answer - questions must be asked in the house. This stinks. :-L

To 158 and 175 Gerry went back to write his closing speech for the CEOP Conference.162- entirely agree with your "thesis"164- the phrase was supposed to be "raking over old ground", but Gerry went off-script.

#116I wish somone would post the link to the bit where Amaral allegedly used the F-word, without any bleep over it because I think it's in a short interview I saw live on RTP1 and if it's that one, he DID NOT say the f-word. As for having his second book with him in court, are you worried about the publicity?It seems it's only the British media which are not doing him any favours, as usual!

So says Goncalo Amaral. And what do the press in my country do with it? They Say Goncalo swore. Liars! They should learn some Portuguese.

FALA COM MCCANS is now my new buzzword. I think the way my nation (UK) has acted towards Portugal is nothing short of disgraceful over this matter. These two individuals are child neglecting, money-centred, self-serving individuals.

Portugal is our oldest ally. We go back 500 years! My neigbhour is from Portugal and if there were more people like him in our country, we would be a better nation for it! The man is a true gentleman.

I don't believe the McCanns. They are NOT going to tell me what to believe. I fully support brave Goncalo Amaral. Keep up the good work Joana!

In the McCannfiles I found this interesting piece byNigel Moore 03 January 2009Thanks to Dr Martin Roberts for quotes

It may be remembered that Gerry McCanns' choice of bedtime reading, whilst staying at the Vista Mar villa, was 'The Interpretation of Murder' by Jed Rubenfeld.

A seemingly inappropriate choice of book for a man whose daughter was allegedly in the hands of a predatory paedophile. Although, perhaps not so peculiar when one considers some quotes from the book:

"The announcement was pure invention, but it was believed, and therefore within three weeks it was so. Mr Banwell had mastered the great truth that truth itself, like buildings, can be manufactured." (p.9).

"I cannot be expected to solve a murder if the evidence is trampled and tampered with before I arrive." (p.22).

"In this heat, he explained, decomposition would rapidly set in if the corpse was not refrigerated at once." (p.28).

"Littlemore studied the bedroom. 'Miss Acton', he said, 'how do you think the man got in here last night?'

'Well, he must have – why, I don't know.'

It was, Littlemore reflected, certainly a puzzle. There were only two doors to the Acton house, the front and the back... ....Could the intruder have climbed in through a window?" (p.299).

In http://gerrymccan-abuseofpower-humanrights.blogspot.com/2009/01/interpretation-of-murder.html

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